One Hell of a Fairytale
by Child-of-the-Dawn
Summary: Rose10, POSTDoomsday. When a dangerous way to return to the man she loves suddenly pops up, Rose Tyler is ready. Forgive the fast pace. Doomsday therapy for the crushed shipper.


Return to Me

NOTE: post-destroyer and a follow up to 'Always'. I want them together damnit. So this is therapy more than anything else...I dont know who Martha is, but I'm putting her in her because it seems shes the next companion...

* * *

"Today," The reported said pleasantly in her clipped businesslike tone, "The new Assistant Director of Torchwood Research Center, Rose Tyler, announced that while a few of the Dalek race did indeed escape the Barrier, they numbered only four, and were easily destroyed by AD Tyler's strike force." A picture of a serene young blonde graced the screen, and the man let out a small cry, his hand flying to his mouth to cover the sound, lest it wake his travel companions.

He sat back in his seat, half-glad that radio waves could cross barriers, and half wanting to cry as he had a year before, in a place called Bad Wolf Bay.

The 10th regeneration of The Doctor sighed heavily, trying to dispel the image of Rose Tyler to no avail. To everyone else in her new world watching the news, Rose seemed calm and collected, perhaps even happy. But The Doctor knew otherwise. For one thing, her shoulders were stiff, and there was no sassy sway to her hips as he remembered.

Most of all, it was her eyes. They were darker and duller than he'd recalled, even though those recollections were most certainly misted by the quick infatuation that had doomed them both to an eternal sense of loss.

It was a year later. A year since she'd told him she loved him, since his stupidity has cost him the chance to say the same. Since Pete and Jackie had become expectant parents again (God help Pete if it was a girl). And since, for the first time in nine hundred years, The Doctor has cried. He hadn't cried much since, having calmed down from the first wave of grief, but he knew now that he could, and he was probably going to cry once every year, as Rose's eyes had indicated she'd done the same.

Plain and simple, he missed his plus-one.

Missed her smile, her laugh, and her determination. He missed the few kisses that they'd had in a fit of joy or, as was more common, a sudden thankfulness resulting from one or both of them almost dying. Closing his eyes, he remembered when he'd kissed her to pull the Time Vortex out of her. She'd kissed him back so hungrily he'd almost let go before the last of the energy had been taken from her frail human body.

"Rose…" He said, removing the photo from a compartment in the console. He smiled weakly. If this was what the rest of his days were like, he could at least say he'd had a good year and a half with the woman mean't for him. He'd keep those memories, no matter what.

* * *

"Today," The reported said pleasantly in her clipped businesslike tone, "The new Assistant Director of Torchwood Research Center, Rose Tyler, announced that while a few of the Dalek r—"

Rose Tyler clicked off the tele with a sigh. She was so tired of people harping on the fact that she was new to Torchwood. Granted, not many people became such a high ranking official at 22, but seeing as how she'd fought some of the beings that somehow still threatened this new Earth, it should hardly surprise anyone.

What would surprise them was the reason she was young, powerful, smart, and single. It was the talk of the tech world that AD Tyler very much disliked the idea of marriage, though many suggested there was something keeping her from revealing some secret lover. Her lip twitched as she put her cocoa mug in the sink.

Only the company rumor mill had any truth to it. Everyone knew she and the Doctor had been close, but so far not a one had said the whole truth, that she loved him and thus pushed away any other who tried to come close. No human man could live up to the wily two-hearted alien she'd fallen in love with.

She scrubbed harshly at a bit of marshmallow, eyes misting over with tears. She knew he'd of run into someone to show the universe to, he seemed to have a habit of that. For a moment her sour mood abated as she imagined some poor soul seeing some of the things she'd seen. Things she longed to see.

BRIIIIIIIIIIING

Rose jumped, almost dropping her mug onto the linoleum. Dratted cell phone.

"Yes?" She asked warily. The numbered read 'Torchwood', always a bad sign.

"This isn't a bad sign, Rose." She laughed. Trust Mickey to read her mind. Putting down the mug, Rose sat down at the kitchen table, just in case he was kidding about the bad sign.

"What's up Mickey?"

"Rose, you sitting down?"

"yes."

"good. 'Cuz that little sliver we found, the shots of life between the Void the Daleks created when you two blasted them to Hell…..(man that was so cool)…it's a passable hole in the Barrier." A jolt went through Rose's hands so violently she dropped the phone on the floor. She could hear Mickey asking if she'd hit the floor, but tuned it out.

Four months after she'd fell sobbing into her mother's arms, they'd found something odd about the Void that hadn't been there before the battle. Little wisps of life, later found to be deactivated Daleks, had peppered the Barrier with little holes. But not even she thought it was possible to move through them, and she'd felt first hand the type of strain doing so could cause.

"Mickey?" She said once she calmed herself down enough, "Get the team ready. I'm coming in!"

"Already done, Boss Lady!" She hung up the phone and jumped into the entryway of her small flat, not even noticing when Pete entered the room carrying her sister, whom they'd named Anne Tardis Tyler. The middle name had been in honor of the Doctor and the Tardis, for the series of events that made a family out of them.

"Rose, what are you running about like a hen for?"

" At work. They've found…..barrier…..hole….passable!" She turned and scooped Anneup, the infant smiling at her sister's laugh without comprehending why.

She stopped suddenly and handed the child to her alternate father. Pete must of understood her disconnected ramblings.

"You mean….you may be able to talk to him again? You won.t…leave us?"

" Ah, dad. I…" she turned away," hes always been alone save for a companion here and there. Ever since the Time War. I love him, dad, and I want to stay with him. Plus we..we don't know anything." And with that, she was gone out the door, Pete Tyler smiling sadly in the doorway. Jackie came in, having heard the whole thing, and wrapped her arms around Pete and Anne.

"We're going to lose her…" she said, " C'mon Pete, we're off to Torchwood. If she can really get that man of hers, I want to make sure he'll take care of her!" And with that, yet another Tyler woman was out into the raining morning without a thought. Pete shook his head and glanced down at Anne.

" I hope you take after me…."

* * *

"Doctor." Rose said quietly, one hand gently running itself across the silvery hole in the wall. Her family stood silently behind her, surrounded by those Torchwood associates who knew the Doctor and his travels with their AD. Others just stood there with mouths agape as the hole widened. They'd been at it for four hours. Until---

" I'm sensing the Tardis, Assistant Director!" A man said, typing furiously, " try again."

"Doctor! Tardis!" This time something resonated within the silvery mass. A voice could be heard, a woman's, telling someone it wasen't her who'd spoken.

" I'm from the North! How could I of said that?" She said crossly. Then a man's voice.

" Because the only person I can think of….Rose? Rose! Is that you?!?!" Rose gasped, small sobs escaping her lips at the sound of his voice.

"Doctor! There are holes in the Void, made by the Daleks. That's how we're talking to you. I'm coming back, Doctor! Find me!" With a careful sigh, Rose stuck her whole arm in the hole, ignoring the cries of alarm from her coworkers and mum.

"Martha! Hit that blue switch by the yellow bar. It'll stall the Tardis! Rose!!!" He cried out, and suddenly the whole room was greeted by the Doctor's head and arm poking through the tentative portal. He waved at Jackie and little Anne, then turned towards Rose.

"Are you sure about this?"

Rose looked longingly at her family, then at him in silence.

"Doctor! Its closing! Whoever this Rose is, she's got about a minute to make up her bloody mind!" Martha shouted. Rose looked back up at the Doctor and threw herself into his arms.

"Mum! Pete! Anne! I love you all!! Remember that Anne!" and with a sudden loud pop, Rose Tyler disappeared for the last time. and while Jackie Tyler was crying into her husband's shoulder and hugging her youngest to herself, there was a happy smile on her face and those of Rose's subordinates as they clapped and cheered on a job that feel way better about than anything else. They'd finished one hell of a fairytale, after all.

* * *

On the Tardis, conversely, there was silence as the 10th Doctor looked down into Rose's eyes, hardly daring the believe it.

"Rose," he choked, her smile growing wider and wider. Martha stood by the side, smiling, a hankie in her hands. The Doctor stumbled forward, his hands laying on Rose's shoulders, as if to test she was really there.

"Hello, Doctor. I told you after the Slitheen thing you were stuck with me. Did you think I'd move on?" His eyes shown bright in the semi-darkness of the Tardis.

"I half hoped you would." She leaned forward until their foreheads were touching as his arms went about her waist.

"I still love you." she whispered. He pulled back, this time grinning madly, and straightened his tie before looking back up.

"Rose Tyler….I love you. Since that day you said you'd come with me." Her smile this time was brilliant, drawing all the light from around her as if she was once more one with the Tardis.

"Then what are you waiting for?" She said. A nervous feeling shot up through his stomach and twin hearts. For Time's sake! It would figure that he'd get flustered again, just when he needed to go into action. Throwing a frightened look at Martha, who only smirked at him, he was pleasantly surprised to find the burden snap out of existence as Rose Tyler kissed him quite soundly before he could comprehend much besides a flurry of blonde hair.

When they pulled away, it seemed that Martha, the Tardis, and Time itself had disappeared into nothing. It was Bad Wolf Bay again, only this time with a happier ending. Just him and his Rose. Always his Rose.

* * *

Again, this is merely therapy for myself and others who delighted in this sort of...romantic friendship, I suppose. I honestly dont get what would of been so bad about Rose staying with the Doctor...I mean, theres a precident for him having family, her name is Susan. Although it'd be a kick for her to return, the performance would be to die for I'm sure. 


End file.
